Run Like a Devil (Dante Sparda) Part 11

Part 11:

"Now you're sure that I shouldn't do it?"
"You're too old for her."
"So are you, man! You're only a few years younger then me!"
"Yeah, but I'm better looking. It'd make more sense that way."
Enzo was fighting a losing battle, but you hardly had the mind to care, standing on the sidelines of the battle ground with crossed arms and a lingering sense of discomfort. Rather, you were standing on the sidewalk as the two bickering men unloaded the trunk of Enzo's beat up old car, staring at them with raised eyebrows. Dante's reasoning was slightly flawed and just a tad bit illogical, as was Enzo's, but you knew that he would inevitably come out on top of the argument, especially if Enzo pissed him off enough for the intimidation factor to come in to play. All their debating and reasoning really only came down to warring levels of testosterone and male egotism, both of which Dante definitely had a higher amount. Either way, you weren't liking the foreseen outcome or the mission involved.
"Whatever. Just remember to keep a low profile and try not to destroy the place or they might take it out of our reward."
"Yeah. Yeah. Now will you get out of here before our cover gets blown."
Enzo mumbled something as he walked around his car, tugging his keys from the pocket of his torn jeans. His brown eyes turned your way and he waved you over with his hand, glancing in Dante's direction almost cautiously. He might have had a long working history with your boss, but he still hadn't quite gotten over his fear of Dante's temper. In fact, you were rather sure that the progression of years had given poor, mouse-hearted Enzo even more reasons to be wary of Dante and the chaos that always seemed to take place around him. You made your way over to the chubby Italian, leaning your ear close to his lips as he bid you to, able to ignore the linger scent of booze that always seemed to be upon him.
"Try to keep him under control, please. He'll listen to you before he will me. And use this if he gets a little too in to character."
You glanced down at the small tube he'd slipped in to your hand and almost grimaced when you realized that it was pepper spray, taking a step back from the now grinning man, uttering some slightly uncomfortable thanks as he slipped in to his car. His gift did nothing to lessen your unease at that moment and as you headed over to your red-clad employer you stuffed the little safety measure in to your purse, picking up two of the smaller suitcases while Dante handled the rest. How he'd managed to find a suitcase large enough to contain his sword was beyond you, but you figured it wasn't anything to really think to hard on, nodding your head at him as he led the way.
You were instantly distracted by the decor as the automatic glass doors slid open to permit the two of you entry. Dante, though not nearly as impressed as you, seemed to take in the sight of the hotel lobby with approval in his gaze. The marble floors reflected the image of the two of you walking together, your footsteps echoing up to the high ceilings and the ornate chandeliers above, dulled by the sounds of voices and running water. Couches filled with hotel guests resided throughout the room, while the tiny bar where several people were drinking brimmed with life. The indoor fountain flowed with crystalline water, adding a certain calming appeal to the atmosphere of this place and you half began to wonder if anything really was amiss in such a lovely establishment. Everyone present seemed to be well at ease, as if no one knew about the horrible things that had taken place.
Together the two of you made your way to the front desk, greeting the well-dressed blond behind the counter with friendly smiles, the crimson color of her lip stick making her teeth seem incredibly white, thusly making her smile appear gigantic. Dante set down his suitcases and you followed his example, folding your hands before you, giving you a slightly demure appearance, hoping that your discomfort wasn't horribly obvious. You reminded yourself to stay in character and did not let your smile falter, keeping your eyes on Dante as he leaned one arm on top of the counter, his grin practically radiating an underlying sexual charisma.
"Oh god...here we go..."
"Hi there. I have a reservation for your honeymoon suite. The name should be under Redgrave."
"Redgrave?" Dante nodded and the hotel clerk's fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard of the computer before her, eyes lighting up as the proper information appeared on her screen. "Yes. Here is is. Two days and nights in our twelfth floor honeymoon suite. It's a lovely room, so I'm sure you'll both enjoy your stay."
She turned her eyes your way and winked knowingly, much to your chagrin, the crimson tint of your cheeks only growing deep when Dante wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you against him, kissing your cheek. You fought hard to keep your smile from faltering, knowing that your expression held a hint of the nervousness that boiled inside you, the questioning look coming from the hotel employee making you curse your inability to remain calm. Dante, however, seemed to have a perfect hold on everything.

"She's a bit nervous. First time jitters."
"Oh! Well good for you!"
Her smile was very meaningful, a quick glance in Dante's direction making it horribly apparent that she found your 'husband' to be quite a catch. You weren't sure if she was showing her approval towards the fact that you'd saved your chastity for marriage or that you were about to lose it to an incredibly sexy example of manliness. Either way, you just wanted to move along, tugging on Dante's hand, forcing an anxious pout on to your lips, hoping he and the clerk would get the hint and move the embarrassing charade along.
"Can we go to the room now, Honey? I'd like to spend some time alone together."
"Of course. I'm so sorry to have kept you. Jason, come and escort this lovely couple to their room."
A young busboy headed across the lobby, greeting the two of you with somewhat obviously forced enthusiasm, taking the room key from the blond. A quick glance at the tag let him see where to take the two of you and he stuffed the key in to the pocket of his slacks, bending over to take hold of your suitcases. Dante allowed him to carry yours, insisting that he carry his own, knowing that a such a diminutive young fellow would have difficulty with his belongings and he didn't want to particularly explain why he was carrying a heavy sword in his baggage. Thinking nothing of it, the young man called Jason shook his head to try and shift shaggy black bangs from his eyes, bidding you both to follow him towards the elevators.
"Try not to be too nervous and enjoy yourselves," the clerk said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Don't worry. We will. I'll be gentle."
You wanted more than anything to wipe Dante's somewhat lewd smirk off of his face and then hide yourself from the world, your entire face turning about as red as your 'husband's' usual outfit. You were entirely quiet as the elevator doors closed behind the two of you, fighting off the urge you felt to frown and give Dante a tongue lashing, setting your gaze on the back of Jason's shirt, standing in the back of the elevator as all of you watched the floors slowly pass by. Jason, seeming curious if not perturbed by the silence, glanced over his shoulder to study the both of you and for the sake of appearances you leaned against Dante. Glad that you were properly participating in the facade, Mr. Redgrave began to nuzzle his nose in your hair, inhaling your scent. You weren't entirely certain if his comment that you smelled good was part of the act or genuinely what he thought. The number twelve did not light up soon enough and you were glad to be out of the crammed elevator, walking as close to Dante as his bulky suitcases would allow, content if not put off by the fact that the bus boy hadn't made any attempts at friendly conversation. The young man, who couldn't have been no more then a few years older then you, apparently didn't enjoy his job enough to make small talk. His presence actually made you nervous, as if there was something off about him, and you tried your best not to think so, feeling that it wasn't right to judge someone you didn't actually know.
"Here's your room, Mr. and Mrs. Redgrave. If you need anything, the number for the front desk is next to the phone. Enjoy your stay and your honeymoon."
Jason led the two of you in to the large suite, setting the suitcases he'd been carrying upon the floor. As you headed to the center of the room, taking a quick, curious peek around, Jason handed the room key to Dante, accepting the small tip he gave the silent young man. You bid him good bye as politely as possible, feeling utterly relieved when the door closed behind him, signaling that you and Dante were finally alone. You shrugged off your jacket and tossed it on the bed, setting down your purse before removing your boots, letting them thud loudly to the floor.
"Thank God we're here. I'm so glad that that's over with."
Dante held a finger before his mouth, his expression suddenly very serious, lips drawn in to a firm, straight line. Standing next to the door, he leaned his ear against the wood, locking the door as he listened to something that you couldn't hear, confusion eating at you as you watched his odd antics. Seeming to have heard something alarming, Dante stalked over to you, taking hold of your shoulders, keeping his gaze on the door.
"Start moaning," he commanded in a soft voice, obviously schooling his tone of voice to keep anyone other than you from hearing.
"What?!" you asked, your voice a sharp whisper as your expression became altogether perturbed, if not mortified.
Dante's expression hardly belied his agitation and he drew you over to the foot of the bed, making you stand before him as he set one foot against the edge of the mattress frame, placing his hands upon your shoulders. You gasped aloud when he applied sudden pressure with his strong fingers, the sound followed by a soft moan of pleasure as he began to knead the muscles around your shoulders, making you aware of a tension that you'd not even noticed before. Realizing that he'd managed to convince you in to making the sort of noise he'd asked of you, you felt your skin turning pink and you glanced over your shoulder at him, confusion written in your eyes.
"He's listening outside of the door. We've gotta pretend that we're actually enjoying our honeymoon if we want to start investigating this place, so work with me, ______."
You finally understood what he'd been asking of you, but you didn't like the idea regardless. Your face was pink and growing darker, trying your hardest to work up the courage to make such noises as he asked you to. Dante felt the tension in your shoulders, could see your skin flushing as you refused to look at him, staring hard at the wall. He knew he'd have to put in a little extra effort to goad you in to playing your part, admittedly amused by how shy you were regarding the subject of sexuality. It amused him to no end and he was always entertained by your occasional timid responses. They added to your sweetness in his eyes and he loved seeing your fire whenever he was able to rile you up.
You sighed again, not quite a moan, but loud enough to sound the way Dante had asked, having to admit that it felt rather good to have his fingers massaging the knots of tension in your neck and shoulders. Dante began to push his foot against the mattress frame, creating a rhythmic rocking sound that sounded very suggestive and when he faked a pleasured groan next to your ear you were unable to keep your hands from pressing against your face. Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to utilize your voice in his clever charade, Dante wrapped his arms around you, holding you back against his chest as he continued to rock the bed, trying to help you relax, occasionally letting out grunts or phrases that very much implied sexual activity. God, but you wanted to use Enzo's pepper spray at that moment.
"All right. He's gone."
Dante let his foot touch the floor again and you slumped back against him in relief, glad that such a highly embarrassing situation was over. You felt warm breath against the side of your neck, body going rigid when your boss began to lightly nuzzle you there in a highly affectionate manner. Your hands, hanging limply at your sides, fisted tightly and you waited for the perverted comment that you knew would come. Dante was such a horn dog sometimes and he could never resist an opportunity to flirt or tease you. What had just happened was evidently too good an opportunity to pass up and you steeled yourself for his words, feeling his arms hold you tighter.
"So was it good for you too?"
"Dante...I'm about to kill you."
You shoved out of his embraced and rounded on him, fire and brimstone in your eyes as you took a few swings at him, the seasoned devil hunter evading your strikes with ease. Damn him and his blasted skill. You weren't actually trying to seriously harm him, the majority of your attacks meant to be light punches of a retaliating and playful nature. Even if you seriously wanted to hurt him for having a laugh at your expense you sincerely doubted you could, considering his line of work and all. Impalement compared to a punch to the shoulder by you? There was no contest really. Dante moved easily behind you and before you could turn to attack him he'd scooped you off of your feet, holding you in his arms with a familiar grin plastered on his face. Feeling easily defeated you flashed him a pout and went limp in his hold, allowing him his simple victory. It was time to get to work anyway. Dante seemed to realize as much and he set you down on the bed before he headed over to the suitcases. You watched him flip the first case open, retrieving Ebony and Ivory from their hidden confines. He set them aside as he shrugged off the black sport coat he'd been wearing, tugging on his gun holsters over his crimson button down shirt. It was somewhat odd seeing him dressed in normal clothing, but you knew it had been necessary for him to blend in and not draw attention to himself with his usual flashy garb. While he prepared himself for the investigation, you let your mind wander to the specifics of the mission.
Enzo had received a call from the hotel manager, who had offered a very hefty sum to have the fairly notorious Devil Never Cry look in to a very dark problem. For the past month the Sage Hotel had suffered the unexplained disappearances of three couples, all of which had arrived at the hotel for their honeymoons. There was no specific rooms or floors in which the disappearances commonly took place, the only specifics regarding newlywed couples. Dante, though he'd been a bit intrigued by the case, hadn't been certain of demonic involvement and had only taken the case when you and Enzo had pressed. The manager had come up with the idea that the two of you would pretend to be newlyweds and though Dante worried about bringing you in to a potentially dangerous situation, he'd refused to leave you alone at Devil Never Cry when you'd so recently been accosted by unknown assailants. He wanted to take no risks with your safety, hardly trusting Enzo to guard you. The Italian meant well, but he was quite a coward and you had a feeling Dante didn't like the thought of the two of you alone. It was rather obvious that Enzo was a bit sweet on you and your boss was obviously displeased because of it, seeming to show a hint of annoyance or even jealous when his informant's flirtatious remarks made you blush. Not that you understood why Dante would be jealous. Enzo really was not your type and it wasn't as if you and Dante had anything going on aside from friendship.
"So what are we going to do first?"
"I'm going to investigate the basement and make sure that there isn't anything hiding down there. Then I'll search all the hotel floors. If there's anything demonic here I should be able to feel it out."
"I've noticed that you didn't include what I'll be doing in that little speech. What exactly should I be doing aside from pretending to be your wife?"
"I don't trust that bus boy. He was odd and I'm not sure if he was trying to listen in on us, because he's a little pervert or because of something else. I want you to stay here. If there is something really strange about him like I think there is then he'll come back."
At first you were given the impression that Dante was making you stay put for fear of you being hurt, but thought better of it. You too had felt something slightly off about the boy named Jason, so it was a good idea for someone to keep an eye and ear out for him. Besides, if Dante did run in to demons or the like chances were that you would more than likely get in the way and you didn't want to be a hindrance to him. He bid you to join him before one of the suitcases and you did as your boss told you.
"You know what all of these are, don't you?"
"Yes. This right here is Holy Water that can repel and injure demons. This is a Vital Star. It heals injuries, right?"
You pointed to each item as you described them, noticing that Dante had a few of each, his gaze approving. He was glad that you remembered the things he'd taught you, knowing that they might be necessary at a later time.
"Good. Save the Vital Stars for me just in case I need them later. Use the Holy Water only if you have to. It's hard to come by these. They're damned expensive."
Dante stood and as he slid Ebony and Ivory in to their holsters, you grabbed his jacket, helping him slide it on, effectively concealing his weapons. He straightened the black coat and turned towards you, grimacing slightly, obviously less then content to be wearing anything other then his custom leather. His current attire was less then suited to his flashy sort of style.
"I feel like I look weird."
"You look great in anything, Dante. I've seen you covered in demon blood and baby puke and not once have you ever looked bad," you admitted, smiling softly.
Your honest compliment brought a smile to his lips in turn and he let his fingers take hold of a lock of your hair, a gesture that he honestly showed you fairly often. Somehow it always gave you a feeling of warmth in your chest and your stomach filled with butterflies, making you wish that he'd never stop. It always made you feel slightly silly, though, so you tried your best to fight those feelings, wondering what such strange reactions entailed.
"I could say the same about you, Darlin'."
The moment was over in the blink of an eye and before you knew it Dante was leading you over to the case that contained his sword, leaving you to stand beside it.
"There's a weapon in there that'll protect you if anything happens and the Holy Water doesn't help. Be careful."
"I will and the same goes for you too, Dante."
He nodded and flashed you one final smile before he stuffed the hotel key in his pocket and headed out the door, the lock clicking shut behind him. You sighed, willing yourself not to become clouded with worry, and sat down on the floor beside the large suitcase, staring at it in deep curiosity. You had been absolutely certain that Dante had snuck one of his swords in to the hotel and you hardly had the physical strength to wield either of them, though Dante promised he'd teach you how to use a sword sometime soon. What was inside of here that would protect you? Unable to resist the nagging urge eating away at you, the decision to look inside was solidified. The clasps that held it shut clicked loudly as you opened them and the lid pushed back to reveal the most unexpected of sights.
"A guitar"
It was a large, unusual electric guitar of a brand that you'd never seen before, colored black and dark purple. It had no electrical jack and there was no amp in sight, so Dante surely hadn't meant to play it anytime soon. It was evidently not an acoustic and you had to wonder just how he expected a musical instrument to protect you from potential attackers. You reached down to touch it, drawing your fingers along the strings, startled by a sudden feeling of life within it. You pulled back your hand, feeling a slightly static feel to the air, your fingertips slightly warm where they'd touched the strings, and you found yourself standing up and stepping back as the guitar began to emit a dim purple glow. Electricity cracked around it, making the lights in the room flicker for a moment, your eyes widening as the instrument disappeared and a black shape formed. It moved and expanded, a soft, lusty sigh that was not your own sounding as a woman appeared before your eyes. She moaned softly and threw back her flaming red hair, stretching her arms above her head as if in ecstasy before she let them drop. Her skin was pale, her chest bare and just slightly covered by her long hair, a long black skirt hiding her lower body. Sh turned to you then and her eyes were as bright has her hair, painted lips curving up in to a wide, seductive smile.
"Hello, Sugar."

End of Part 11

Click Me

Yup, I added Nevan. ^^ I rather liked her in DMC3, though she was hard as anything to beat. I haven't updated this story in a while, so I'm going to post another chapter before I update my other stories. ^^